I can't do this without them
by SSAShowerThoughts
Summary: Based on the promo for the season premiere and how JJ is coping with her best friends being missing.


**I'm terribly sorry I have been so inactive. I have been on holiday to Disney and haven't had a chance to do anything but I managed to get this down on the plane and thought I would post it before flying home and forgetting all about it.**

 **This is based on the promo for the season premiere featuring an added Morgan return because I think he should come back to help save our two missing agents.**

 **This hints at a very close JJ/Morgan friendship but mainly focuses on the relationship between Penelope, Reid and JJ.**

 **Don't forget the review and enjoy!**

Emily stood at the front of the conference room watching as her team slowly broke down. She knew they were all running on near enough no sleep and all standing on pins, scared to move until they got their missing team members back but they were all running around in circles getting nowhere. She noticed how one member of the team was missing; the one who hadn't took the five hour break to get some rest yesterday; the one who hadn't ate or left the building since her best friends were taken 3 days ago. She excused herself and looked around the bullpen, agents running around recklessly, everyone on edge wanting the two loved BAU agents back. She poked her head into the blondes old office, noticing the floor was covered in files, knowing this was probably where she escaped to when she needed to breathe, but she was not in there at this moment in time. Emily thought for a second, wondering if she had finally caved and gone home but she shook her head, knowing she wouldn't dare leave without at least letting someone know. Finally, she looked in the restroom, the sound of sniffles shattering her heart as she let the door close behind her.

"Jayje?" She called out, a stall door opening, JJ appearing out from behind it, her eyes swollen, cheeks wet from tears. "Oh Jen." The blonde crumbled and fell into Emily's arms, sobbing uncontrollably onto her shoulder.

"I can't do this without them Em. They are my kids godparents and without Will here; I can do this alone." Emily couldn't hold back her tears as she felt one of her closest friends break down in her arms. She was usually so good with words and always knew what to say but today, today she really didn't know what to say to make everything okay again. She couldn't tell JJ that they would get them back because she didn't know that; she couldn't tell her that it would eventually all be okay because again, she did not know that. She was at a loss as the minutes dragged on when suddenly an idea hit her. Maybe this wouldn't help them find Garcia and Reid any quicker but this sure would held JJ cope better. She pulled away and held JJ out at arms length, smiling sympathetically down at her.

"I am ordering you to take a few hours out. I don't care if you go home or crash on the sofa in your old office, but you need to step out for a bit, or at least go and have something to eat. Come back to us in a few hours with a fresh head, okay?" The blonde hesitated slightly before nodding in defeat, Emily guiding her out of the restrooms, watching her disappear into her old office. In a flash her phone was to her ear, her voice desperate as she greeted the man down the phone.

"Hey, I wouldn't call unless it was an emergency but we really need you. How fast can you get here?"

 _Four hours later_

JJ walked into the conference room after a well deserved break, having spent the four hours with Henry and Michael in the daycare downstairs, the team all sharing sad smiles with the broken blonde. It was nearing two in the morning but nobody was planning on leaving until they had a break in the case. JJ made eye contact with Emily who was surprisingly a lot perkier than she had been, the blonde wondering if she had missed something while being asleep.

"Have we gotten any further?" When nobody spoke up with an answer and only gave her solemn shakes of the head, she felt her shoulders slump in defeat. She went to sit down between Tara and Rossi when Emily grabbed her hand, guiding her out the room.

"How about a coffee?" JJ nodded with a frown, following Emily down to the coffee machine. She was confused to see a figure standing in the corner with a mug in his hand, her mouth opening to question who he was but her prayers were answered when he turned, JJ's heart soaring as he opened his arms, allowing her to fall against his chest.

"Don't take offence blondie, but you look terrible." He mocked, JJ letting out a gurgled laugh, refusing to leave the warmth of his hold.

"What are you doing here?" She finally pulled away, just looking at his face comforting enough for her despite the situation they were in.

"Emily called me when you all found out about Reid and Penelope but considering I don't have jurisdiction anymore, she told me it would be best if I stay with Savannah and Hank until you knew more and just keep me up to date. Then she called me earlier and told me a certain someone wasn't sleeping or eating-" He paused, raising an accusing eyebrow up at the blonde who coward slightly under his watchful eye. "She sent me the jet and I got here as quick as possible. Jayje, I know you are worried, probably more than any of us put together, but you cannot kill yourself trying to find them. They are going to need you here and healthy when they get back and starving yourself isn't going to help with that." She nodded, knowing he was right and that she wasn't doing anyone any good killing herself.

"I know- I just can't will myself to eat or sleep because I don't know what is happening to them. They could be starving to death or being tortured or anything and I'm here taking luxury out of everything. I can't do this without them- I don't think I'll be able to come back from it if they don't make it." Emily watched in agony as her friend broke down. Besides her moment in the restroom earlier she hadn't really seen how the situation was effecting the blonde. Derek wrapped her up in his arms again, her sobs erratic as he looked up to Emily, shaking his head. Even he didn't know what to say to comfort her which was concerning as Emily knew that Derek was always the one to turn to when JJ was suffering. He could get anything out of her and make her feel a lot safer than any of them, but with him at a loss Emily feared she would lose three agents in this ordeal.

"How about you take me to the daycare downstairs and we spend another hour with those beautiful kids of yours. I'm sure the team can spare you for another hour." All JJ did was nod, Derek squeezing Emily's arm as he walked past, the brunette nodding, heading back up to the conference room.

 _Two days later_

Derek sat up in his chair when he saw Penelope stir in her sleep, her eyes slowly opening, a smile spreading across her face.

"Well look at you handsome- what a way to wake up!" He laughed, grabbing her hand giving it a squeeze.

"How are you feeling mama?" She shrugged, sitting up slightly.

"My head hurts a little but I'm okay." She looked to the bed next to her, smiling when she saw Reid sleeping peacefully. He had a small bruise around his cheek but besides that he looked okay. "What happened?"

"We raided the warehouse where they were keeping you. We found Reid first- he had been knocked out and he has a broken ankle but he is going to be okay. You were being held in another room and as people started shooting, the man who had you panicked and threw you to the side. I couldn't reach you fast enough and you hit your head pretty hard when you fell and knocked yourself out. Besides being malnourished and dehydrated you have both been checked out and they will release you in two days." She nodded, knowing that considering their situation they had gotten lucky. She jumped when she heard shuffling to her other side- frowning when she saw JJ asleep on the sofa in the corner of the room.

"She looks terrible- what happened?" From where she was, Penelope could make out the black marks around both her eyes, the weight that had considerably dropped off her since she last saw her.

"She had a really rough time while you both were gone. She hasn't ate or slept- Emily called me to try and help but even I couldn't do much. It took me everything I had to get her to sleep when you two were admitted." Penelope felt her heart swell, her eyes never leaving her sleeping best friend.

"When Will left, she came to mine with the kids because she couldn't bare spending the night alone. I called Reid over because after we put them to bed she broke down and it took us a while to get her to calm down. Ever since then we have all spent as much time together as possible and she was finally getting over it. I can't imagine how she must have felt thinking she was going to be alone again." Derek looked over at the sleeping blonde, his heart breaking for her. She has been through so much as this had officially broken her, it was horrible to watch let alone endure.

"She's gonna be okay. We will get through it together." The two tore their eyes away from JJ to see Reid sitting up in bed, a smile on his face. Penelope nodded, knowing he was right.

"We're all going to be just fine."


End file.
